Clive Owen-Led M. Butterfly Revival Finds Its Broadway Home

Julie Taymor will direct David Henry Hwang's drama.

Julie Taymor's new Broadway production of David Henry Hwang's Tony-winning drama M. Butterfly will play the Cort Theatre beginning October 7, producers have announced. Clive Owen heads the company as Rene Gallimard.

M. Butterfly charts the scandalous romance between a married French diplomat and a mysterious Chinese opera singer — a love story of international espionage and personal betrayal. Their 20-year relationship pushed and blurred the boundaries between male and female, east and west — while redefining the nature of love and the devastating cost of deceit.

For the revival, Hwang will introduce new material inspired by the real-life love affair between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Chinese opera singer Shi Pei Pu that has come to light since the play's 1988 premiere. The play had its world premiere at Washington, D.C.'s National Theatre in February 1988. Opening night is set for October 26.

The original Broadway production of M. Butterfly, directed by John Dexter, ran March 20, 1988-January 27, 1990, for a total of 777 performances. John Lithgow starred as Rene Gallimard, with B.D. Wong as Song Liling. M. Butterfly won Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play for Wong, and Best Direction of a Play for Dexter.